Your water or sewer utility is governed by a Board of Directors,.  The Board of Directors is made up of five regular board members and three alternates, with representatives from Okeechobee County, City of Okeechobee, and parts of Glades county.  There are two regular members and one alternate appointed by Okeechobee County.  There are two regular members and one alternate appointed by the City of Okeechobee.  There is one regular and one alternate board memeber to represent Glades County.   These board members meet monthly to represent the customers and establish policy and priorities on issues such as expansion, rates, environmental resource management and long-range planning.  Do you know who they are and what they do?

Here are three things you might not know about who is serving on your water system’s board of directors.

• They are your neighbors: Utility Districts are typically governed by people whose families drink the water every day.  They are appointed by their fellow community members to serve on the OUA Board of Directors.

• They are volunteers: These Board Members are volunteers who devote their time and energy to providing a better quality of life for their community by ensuring a clean supply of drinking water and sewer services. These individuals realize the importance of these services to the sustainability and public health of their communities.

• They are ambassadors:  They are the public’s representative to help oversee the water  and wastewater systems, and they are also the system’s representative to tell the system’s story to the media and the public.

Essentially, the Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that their system is well staffed, well maintained, meets all state and federal requirements and is prepared to serve the current and future needs of the community. The Okeechobee Utility Authority stands at the intersection of three major public policy areas: public health, environmental protection and local economic growth; and the Board of Directors must ensure that the utility successfully meets the demands of all three. In addition, the board works hard to make sure the OUA serves your best interests.